New Pittsburgh Airport is the Culmination of a Decade-Long Shift in Thinking

CEO Christina Cassotis’ 10 years at ACAA reinvented what an airport can do

By Julie Bercik

Published January 27, 2025

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This year will mark the completion of the new Pittsburgh International Airport, which will be a model for the industry and a guidepost for the community’s future.

It also marks a decade since Christina Cassotis came to lead the team at the Allegheny County Airport Authority with a vision of what Pittsburgh’s then-struggling airport could be.

“Christina wanted to be a global leader in aviation and innovation, so from there, she had trained everybody, including me to think out of the box,” said David Minnotte, ACAA board chairman.

“I think this airport especially in the last 10 years really does punch above its weight when it comes to innovation,” said Jeff Fegan, former CEO of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

The ongoing expansion of air service alone would be a proving point of how far Pittsburgh International Airport has c